Automatic water heater



Nov. 7, 1933. J. c. WHITE ET AL AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER Filed April 15. 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mex/7271:)".-

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NOV. 7, 1933. J c wHlTE ET AL 1,933,611

AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER @fzeaa: Z9

WM W MM Patented Nov. 7, 1933 1,933,611 7 AUTOMATIC WATER HEATER. John C. White and ,Roy W. Miller,.Madiso1r,

Wis., assignors to The Hydro-Heater Qor'pm r'ation, Madison, Wis, a corporation of Wis consin .Application Ami 15', 1932. Serial No. 605,436

5 Claims.

This invention pertains to water heating devices which employ steam for the heating of the water and which are intended particularlyior shower bath use or other uses where quite'accurate control of the water temperature is necessary.

In many places, such as public institutions, there is plenty of steam available which can be employed for heating of water for showers and which when utilized in accordance with this invention can be used in installations which are low in first cost in comparison to storage tank systems and which will have a minimum of maintenance diiiiculties and expense.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide awater heater employing steam and normally controllable in its usual operation by one valve only; to provide in a water heater of this character simple and effective means for varying the output temperature or" the .water from a fixed maximum; to provide positive means for preventing a maximum water temperature from being exceeded in such a heater; and to provide other various objects and advantages which will hereinafter more fully appear.

, In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation oi-ap-' of a diaphragm controlled valve forming a part' of this invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 showing the means for adjusting the combining tube.

'Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central sectional view of a modified form of the invention-whila' Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the modified form shown 'in Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings, the diaphragm controlled valve consists of a yoke l, a diaphragm 2 which is clamped against the yoke and is sealed thereagainst by a dome 3 having a water inlet 4. .The diaphragm is clamped between a small piston 5 and a washer 6, the latter being held by a pair of lock nuts 7 and 8 threaded on a stud 9, the opposite end of which has a head 11 against which the piston rests. A I

set screw 12 may be advanced in the dome toward the stud to determine the limit toward which the diaphragm may be distended in that direction while a cap screw 13 is employed to close the threaded aperture in which the set screw moves. g V V Adjacent the head of the stud is a needle valve shaft 14, one end of which 15 is shaped to provide the needle valve and the other end of which is threaded to receive an adjusting nut 16. Below the adjusting nut is a spring retaining member 17 against which the compression springs 18 and 19 rest, their opposite ends embracing bosses 21 and 22 provided at the other end of the yoke 1. A suitable packing gland generally designated as 23 is provided about the needle'valve where it extends into a steam chamber 24. The inlet 25 serves to admit steam into the chamber 24. A valve seat 26 cooperates with the needle valve to regulate the steam which is injected into the water.

Water into'which the steam is'injected'zflows through the inlet 27 into the chamber 28 and into the upper end of a combining tube 29, thence into the pipe 31 to a temperature control valve 32. By advancing or retracting the combining tube relative to the needle valve seat the proportions of the'steam and water may bevaried. The

combiningftube is exterior-1y threaded where it passes through the wall of the casing 30 and also is provided with a worm wheel 33 fixed thereon which may be rotated by means of a worm screw 34 manually rotatable by means of the handle 35.

A control pipe36 is connected with the pipe 31 and with the inlet 4 of the diaphragm dome. If desired, for facilitating regulation, a pressure indicating gauge 37 may be installed as shown. Suitable stop-valves 38' for the steam and 39 'ior' the water may also be provided to be used only in case of adjustment or repair of the unit.

The device shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 oper-' ates as follows: Assuming that the steam pressure is perhaps'40 pounds and the water main throttleddown until-the maximum desired water flow for theshowers or other fixtures is attained. This may be noted on the pressure gauge as showing about perhaps 10 pounds. The combining tube 29 will then be adjusted toward or away from the needle valveseat until the desired water temperature at the outlet is attained.

' pressure is about 20 pounds, both the water and I For shower bath use' thismight be F.. There will probably be some change in the pressure at the outlet due to the altering of the injecting action at the steamjet and thiswill be observable at the pressure gauge. The temperature control valve will then be operated to correct the adjustment of the outlet pressure. The combining tube and temperature control valve can further be adjusted until the desired temperature and outlet pressure is obtained.

The set screw 12 may then be adjusted if necessary to limit the opening of the needle valve so that the correct temperature may be attained at the rate of flow determined as dGSiI'". able by the temper'ature control valve. It'rnay be necessary to adjust the compression springs also to cause them to hold the needle valve open and against the set screw during this maximum water flow. This adjustment is easily ac-f complished by means of the nut 16. The device is then ready to operate and the temperature control valve may thereafter be used for stopping and starting the water fiowand also for varying the water temperature downwardly from the predetermined maximum. It will appear clear that partial closing of the control valve 32 will increase the water pressure in the dome above the diaphragm and hence cause the needle valve to approach its seat, thus reducing the amountof steam being utilized. Complete closing of the control valveshould so increase the pressure in the diaphragm dome that the V needle valve will fully seat and out off the steam completely, which willhappen ifthe compression springs are properly adjusted. .Further opening of the control valve beyond the position it occupied when the system was adjusted for normal operation will decrease the dome pressure but no additional steam will be admitted because the set screw 12 will limit ,the opening of the needle valve. Hence increased flow of water beyond the normal fiow will only result in a lowering of the water temperature. In no event can the water temperature exceed the predetermined desired temperature. Hence the equipment can be used in showerbath installations without danger to the user and only one valve, the control valve 32, is needed for stopping and starting the water flow and regulating its temperature.

The modified formofthe invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is constructed as follows: The diaphragm 41 is gripped between a; dome 42 and acylinder head 43, the upper enlarged end of which is open to the atmosphere, while the reduced portion 44 of the cylinder head contains a piston 45 whichis slidable therein and directly connected through the shaft 46 to a piston 47. The piston 47 is fastened by means of a threaded screw 48 to a pair of washers 49 and 51 between which is clamped the diaphragm.

The usual adjusting nuts 52 lock the diaphragm on the screw. A stop screw 53 limits move- -ment of thediaphragm in one direction while a 46, and the other end is fashioned in the shape of aneedle 56; r J r v The needle valve extends through a steam chamber 57 having an inlet 58 and seats inthe valve seat 59. A water inlet '61 admits water into the water chamber 62 from whence it flows into the upper end of the combining tube 63 and thence through the chamber 64 and pipe 65 to the place of use. The combining tube is surrounded by suitable packing glands 66 and 67 as shown and is threaded into the water chamber housing 63 in such a way that rotation of the tube will cause it to approach or retract with reference to the needle valve seat, thus serving to alter theproportions of steam and water which are mixed. The combining tube may be rotated in any suitable manner but for the sake of simplicity it is provided with a pair of flat surfaces 69 by means of which it can be gripped with a wrench very readily.

To take care of leakage which may occur alongside of the piston 45, there is provided an outlet pipe 71 which runs to waste.

In order that the outlet pressure of the water may be employed to control the diaphragm, a control tube 72 is connected as shown. Hence the outlet water pressure in pipe 65, communicated through the control tube, will serve to proportion the steam and water up to a certain temperature limit and at that point further admission of steam will be prevented by setting the stop screw 53 to prevent further lift of the diaphragm even though the water pressure in the dome continues to decrease.

The modified form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 is stallations where several dozen shower heads are to be supplied from one temperature regulating device. j j

In a unit of this size for convenience in mounting, it is sometimes found advisable to mount the unit on a base 73 which can be then bolted to a wall and the pipes thereafter attached. The adjustment of this modified device requires no particular explanation in view of the description of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the operation of both forms of the invention even though cold water may be drawn from the water supply to some other place of use during the operation of these heating devices,

this mixing device will not be affected or, if at all,

scarcely noticeably due to the fact that a sufficient margin of pressure difference will ordinarily be maintainedbetween the water inlet and water discharge and also due to the fact that the steam exercises an important control effect because of its injecting action.

It should be understood that this invention while illustrated herein in two embodimentsis yet susceptible of being employed in other forms particularly useful in large shower bath inwhich may differ in various details from the present disclosure also remaining within the scope of the appended claims. v

Having shown and described ourinventio'n, we

claim:

1. In a water heating device, means connected with a source of steam and a source of water for mixing the two, and means controlled by the pressure of the water on the discharge side of said mixing means for varying the proportions of steam and water so mixed. I

2. In a water heating device, means connected with a source of steam and a source of water for mixing the same, and a pressure controlled valve actuated by variations in pressure of the water on the discharge side of said mixing means for regulating the amount of steam introduced into said mixture. 7 g

3. In a water heating device,'means connected to a source of steam and a source of water for mixing the. two and a diaphragm controlled valveactuated by variations in the pressure of the water on the discharge side of said mixing means for regulating the amount of steam added to said mixture.

4. The combination of a water heating device and a pipe for conducting the heated water to a place of use comprising means connected with said pipe and a source of steam and a source of water arranged for combining the two, a pressure actuated valve for controlling the admission or" steam to said mixing means, a conduit connecting said pipe at the discharge side of said mixing means operatively to said valve and another valve in said pipe beyond said conduit for stopping and starting the water flow to point of use and whose regulation between open and closed position varies the pressure on said pressure actuated valve.

5. In a water heating device, a casing having a steam chamber and a steam inlet-therefor, a valve seat in one wall of said chamber and a valve therefor, a water chamber and water inlet there for, a threaded aperture in one wall of the water chamber and a combining tube exteriorly threaded extending through said aperture toward the orifice of said steam valve seat, means for rotating said tube on said threads toward or away from said valve seat, a pressure chamber having a flexible diaphragm forming one Wall thereof and means operatively connecting said diaphragm to said steam valve to seat the same upon distention of the diaphragm, said combining tube being adapted to receive a mixture of steam from said valve and water from said water chamber for delivery'to a point of'use, and-a pipe connected with the delivery side of said tubeand said pressure chamber for subjecting said pressure chamber to the pressure of the water so heated by said steam.

JNO. C. WHITE.

ROY W. MILLER. 

